Line feed mechanism



Feb. s, 1955 B, F, MADSEN 2,701,823

LINE FEED MECHANISM BERTHEL F. MADSEN ATTORNEY Feb 8, 1955 BF. MADSEN 2,701,823

LINE FEED MECHANISM Filed Nov. 16, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BERTHEL F. MDSEN ATTORNEY LINE FEED MECHANISM Berthel F. Madsen, Chicago, lll., assignor to Telctype Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application November 16, 1953, Serial No. 392,169

4 Claims. (Cl. 178-25) This invention relates to printing telegraph apparatus and more particularly to improvements in function controlling mechanisms therefor.

The present invention concerns specifically the effectuation of single and double line feed functions in a printer substantially of the type shown in United States Patent No. 2,505,729, vissued April 25, 1950 to W. J. Zenner. v

The invention features in a page printer having a movable type carriage anda rotatable platen, a single and double line feed mechanism wherein the line feeding movement is governed by a clutch individual thereto, and in which the single and double line feeds are each controlled from the same clutch by different mechanical linkages, whereby single line feed is obtained pursuant to a first predetermined degree or' rotation of the clutch, and a double line feed is obtained pursuant to a second' predetermined degree of rotation of the line feed clutch,

1 The foregoing and other objects of the invention will bemore apparent in the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: l

Fig. 1 is a transverse cross sectional view of the selective control unit taken substantially at the location of the line feed function lever;

Fig. 2 is a fragmental rear view of the selective control nnit showing the single and double line feed arrangement; v

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; v

" Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on line 4 4 of Fig.v .1;

-Fig. 5 is an elevation view of the line feed mechanism, and

Fig. 6 isa perspective representation of a modified form of the invention. f l

Having reference to Fig. 1, there -is shown the basic:

function mechanism with which the line feed mechanism.,

according to the present invention is associated.- This basic-function mechanism is located in the receiving page printers'at all outlying stations. For a morel thorough description of the printer '.with which the basicffunction mechanism shown in Fig. 1 is designed to be used, yreference should be had to lsaid United States Patent No. 2,505,729, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

"A set of code bars, indicated generally by the numeral 20, is suitably mounted within the printer, which code bai-sare comparableto code bars 62 to 70 of said Patent No. 2,505,729. Certain of said code` bars 20 are movableqlongitudinlly to lone of `two positions in accordance with the marking and spacing impulses of the well'known Baudot code. A plurality of function bars 21 are suit! ably mounted in the apparatus with respect to the code bars 20, andare urged to the right (asviewed -n Fig. l1) towards the code bars 20 Vby means of springs 22 individual 4to each'function bar. Each function bar 21 has afplurality'of code vproje'ctions'23` (Fig.'4) which coop--V A power shaft 31 carries thereon an eccentric cam 30. A collar 32 is mounted rotatably on the eccentric 30 and has an arm 33 by which the cam 30 is attached pivotally to a lever 34 supported pivotally on a shaft 35. A bail 36 (Fig. l) has a pair of arms 37 which are mountedV pivotally on a stationary shaft 38. A pair of toggle links 39 are secured pivotally at 41 to the arrn 37, and are secured at the other .ends thereof to pivots 42 to which the lever 34 is also secured. As the shaft 31 rotates, the

lever 34 is oscillated about the shaft 35 to thereby,

through the toggle links 39, oscillate the bail 36.

A function pawl 46 has an elongated slot 47 by means of which said function pawl 46 is mounted for longitudinal movement on a shaft 48. A spring 49 continuously urges the function pawl 46 to the right (Fig. l) and` counterclockwise about the shaft 48. 'lhe function pawl 46 has a latching shoulder 50 which cooperates with a shoulder 51 on the function bar 21. Normally the latch 50 rides on the top of the shoulder 51 (as illustrated in FigQl) thereby permitting the spring 49 to retainrthel function pawl 46 in its rightward position. A function operating lever 53 is mounted pivotally on a shaft 54 andl cooperates with a laterally directed portion 56 on the function pawl 46. The function operating lever 53 is.

is thereby permitted to move the function bar Z1 to the. right, the projections 23 entering the notches 24, and thev shoulder 51 underriding the latching shoulder 5U to thereby engage said latching shoulder no due to the action of spring-49 upon function pawl 46. Thereafter as thebail 36 moves back to the lert during its return stroke it moves the function bar 21 also, the function bar 2i in As the.

turn moving the function pawl 46 to the left. function pawl 46 moves to the left in this manner, the lateral projection 56 thereon engages and pivots the function operating lever 53 counterciockwise against the action or spring 57. to cause the iuterponent :i9 to be thrust rightwaroly (as viewed in Fig. l).

During the above-mentioned selective operation of function bar 21, the function pawl 46 was shifted from its solid'line position to the dotted line position 61 over a vertically reciprocating bail member 62. Flhereat'tery as a new selection is being made in the code bars 2U, `the-- bail ,62 moves upwardly to strip or disengage the function pawl 46 from latching engagement with their correspondi ing function bars 2i. btripper bail 62 is reciprocated vertically ,by suitable camming instrumentalities associated withthe shaft 31.

-l-laving reference to Fig.. 5, the line feed mechanism 67 and the rack members 68 and 69 are adapted to bealternately engageable with the teeth on the gear 66, with a slight overlap of engageability being provided, so as to impart rotative motion to the gear 66 and platen 67.

The rack members 68 and 69 Vare connected to eccentrics" 71 and 72, respectively,which are operatively related to the line feed clutch 65 (Fig. 1) hereinafter described.

Power foroperatingsaid racks 68 and 69 is derived from Y the main shaft 31 through said clutch 65. The eccentrics thus control the reciprocatory motion of the rack meiribers 68 and 69.` As shown in Fig. 5, the rack members 68 and 69 are adapted to be rocked on a movable pivot 74 comprising a roller 76 cooperable with slots 77 and 78 j in said rack members 68 and 69. The pivot roller 76 is carried on the vertical .arm of a bell crank lever 79 piv- .,otally mounted on a pivot stud 80 fixed tothe side frame 'ofthe apparatus.' The bell crank'79 is normally biased lnterponenis o9 are slida-v clockwise aboutinstable stop 82.`

Upon rotation of the eccentrics 71 and 72, a combmation of rocking motion about pivot 74 and vertically reclprocating motionis imparted to `thetrack members 68 and 69. When vthe'rack members68 and 69 areV rotated clockwise alternately -about the`pivo"t roller`"7,6',b'y their respective eccentrics 71 "and 72,.the teeth on .the rack members 68 and 69 will engage `the'teeth of gear 66. To'permit the rack teeth to mesh with the .gear teethunder pressureduring a line feed cycle,'thefulcrum or plvot roller 76 :is made movable so that slight counterclockwise movement is imparted to belly crank 79, thus l1ncreasing the tension of spring 81.

As viewed in Fig. 5, the eccentrics 71 and 72 are rotated in a counterclockwise direction. `Wl`1eiifthe long radius of eccentric 72 'is operative to the`left of the vertical center-line of the ,shaft 75, the rackmemb'er .68 vis actuated clockwise about pivot 74'to bring the rack teeth into engagement with the gear. 66.' The rack member 68 'is also actuated downwardlyto impart counterclockwise rotation to the gear .66, hence to platen 67. Then, when the long radius vof eccentric 71 is operative to the right fof said vertical center line,.the"rack.mem`ber 68 is actuated counterclockwise about pivot 74 to disengage the jrack teeth from the gear 66. 'The `rack member 68 is further actuated upwardly with 'the teeth thereon free of the'gear 66. The' same actions are imparted to the rack Vrnembere69 by the eccentric 71 y,except that .they occur alternatively,V thereby imparting smoothly accelerated and decelerated movement to the gear 66.

In "the'performance of the line feed operation, the line feed code signal is received by the selector mechanism, such as described in said Patent No. 2,505,729, to effect a setting of the code bars.20 to selectl the line feed function bar 21 (Fig.' l), (similar to bar v39 shownin Fig.` 29 "of said patent). Pursuant to the receipt of the line feed code signal, the bail 36 will be oscillated, whereupon the'function bar 21 will be reciprocatedA to permit shoulder 51 to engage the'step 50 of tlie pawl 46. Then, upon leftward movement of the'function bar 21, the lever 53 will `be rotated counterclockwise to force ,the interponent 59 rightwardly Cooperating with the interponent59 is anarm 83 of a clutch triplever 84, 'the other arm of which is provided with 'a stop portion 86 adapted to coact witha laterally directed stop projection 87 'on the stop disc 90 of the` three-'stop line feed clutch 60, which is operatively related A(frictionally`or otherwise) in well known manner tothe power shaft`31. The' clutch trip lever 84 is normally biased counterclockwise by a spring 70 and is held against a stop 73.4 The 'line' feed gearing is such that v.each one-third 'revolution of theclutch will advance the platen by` one line. That is, `veach one-third revolutionl of the lineg'feed clutch 60 causes its 'attachedspur 4gear 88 (Fig. '5) torotate the`line feed eccentricspur gear 89 and itsattached eccentrics 71 and .72 one-halfrevolution. Therefor'efthelength of timev that the'lne feed clutch trip/levery84 iis held away from the clutch will determine the'numbeof line'feeds that occur. In 'the embodiment shown, the timing relationship between the cycle ,of the stripper blade lor bail62 and the, rotation of `the main shaft-Slis such that the function pawl .(exempliiiedby pawl46) isnot stripped or disengagedfrom the function barI 21 `untilafter more than one-third of a revolution ofthe clutchv 60 has occurred. Thus', in the present illus.V trationythe line feedclutch trip lever 84 'will stop .the clutch 60 aftentwo-thirds' of a revolution, or double line feed has ,-occurred.

Accordingly, when single line feed is desired, .it is necessary --to strip-or disengagel the function' pawl` 46 from the `line "feed function bar 2'1 before'the line "feed clutch-60 completes one-third of a revolution. This is accomplished by theuse Aof an auxiliary line'feedfun'ction pawlstripper 91 '(Figs. 1 and 2).' rIhe'aforementioned. stops- 87 areintegral with'the stop disc 90 whichis also providediwith three similar cam contours ,on.itslper.iphery., Cooperating with sai'dcam contours on disc90 .is a cam4 follower lever arm4 92 mounted pivotally at 93 'ai1d,11o11 Y mallyfspring u rgedagainst said periphery by spring'.94. Carried lpivotallyou lever arm 92 at pivot 95 'is' an.a1.lx ,v

iliary stripper-actuating member`96. 'Extremity'97 .'(Fi'gLQ,

3) of member 96 'is adapted to Vcooperate witha slotgor notch '98 Yiu the 'stripper v91'i'n such .manner v`that 1 pivot '801fby-a spring 81 against an ady extremity 97 may be swung into and out of operative engagement with said slot to rendersaidauXiarystrip: per 96 alternatively effective and inefectlve to reclprocate said stripper 91 vertically. Stripper actuating member 96 is normally biased counterclockwise (as viewed in Fig. 3) by the aforementioned spring 94 which 1s attached thereto. As previously alluded to, spring 94 also functions to bias the-member 92 downwardly agalnst the periphery of the disc 90. The combination cam and stop disc onthe Vthree-stop 'line feed Fclutch furnishes the motive force to operate the stripper actuating mem-` ber 96 'once .each one-third revolution .of the'line feed clutch 60.

The auxiliary stripper actuating member 96 is slidably carried on the stripper bail 62 through the instrumentality of slots 99 and stud'screwst101.. .In the Apresent embodiment of the invention, the stripper bail 62 is movable only vertically. To render said auxiliary stripper member 96 eifective or non-effective, as the casemayjbe, the member r961`i`s providedv withy a -sidewardlyV directed extension 102 which is adapted. to .cooperate with asingle, and double line feed control mechanism comprising a two armed lever k103 Fi'gl ,l.) 'mountedpivotally onfa pivot 104's'ecured'to the .side .frame 105 of the. printer.. The llower extremity`r1l2 of `lever 103xcooperateswithf theextension 102 "as shown in 'Figi 2, and the Muppet,V extremity of said lever 103 is pivotally articulated,as shown in Figs.' 1 vand 2, to the arm 106 of a lever 107 pivoted a't 108 to Vsaid side frame 105(Y The' upwardly` extending' arm 109'of lever 107`extends through and cooperateswith a two-positiondetent bracket 111 formed in the side frame 105.

In the'operation of the line feed arrangement according-to the'present invention, the 'line ,feed .control mechanism -is shown in Fig's. l, 2 and 3 in ytheposition rto produce single 'line feed. In "this position the selective operation -of the line feed lfunction lever 21 will 4cause pawl 46 to be latched at shoulders 50`-`51, thus position-- ing the free end of the line feedfunction .lever pawl 46 over the stripper bail v62 and auxiliary stripper .91.. AThe function operating lever`53 will'be rotated to cause plungery 59 to be actuated rightwardly'.'(asviewed in Fig. 1) to rotate clutch release-lever 85 clockwise to disengage end 86 from stop 87, thereby permitting Kthe line. feed clutch to -rotate clockwise. This' clockwiserotation at this time f.

is limited t'o one-thirdrevolutionof clutch 60. because the vend 97 of lever arm 9'6 is" engaged in the slot-or notch 98 of the auxiliary strippermember'91, 'thus causingsaid member 91'to be raisedin advance of the normal raising of bail '62 to disengage shoulder'50 from shoulder..51, to permit the lever 53 to respond to the '.pull of its spring 57 to release interponent59 ,and permit the clutch release lever'SS to return to its 'clutch arresting position before the clutch 60 has completedone-third. revolution. Thus,

'in this position, single linefeed is'obta'ined.

Now, when thelever 107 is shifted .to the ,dotted,-.line position 110..(Fig."1`) 'indicative of-dbubleline feed,';the

lever 103 *is swung clockwise, whereupon through its otfl.

set extremity 112, the lever arm .9.6,

(Fig. 3) :is swung clockwise to remove lthe' end 97 "from the lever arm 96 1s no longer effective, upon ,rotation of whenv `fthe'line ufeed- 4signal is'received, and `the "lev`er153 is actuated,"the'interponent 59 'will trip..the. ,clutch .60 yas before. "'However, thebail "assembly "92;96 be. oscillatedduring the rst one-third -revolution of c'am.v disc-'90 (andhence clutch 60) -with no effectvupon the.. auxiliary stripper member 91. Underthis condition Iof operatiomthe"disengagement of shoulders 50andi51 is effected by the -bail 62, which due to the timing, as pre-` viously mentioned, will not occur until yafter more than one-third .of a'revolution. of the clutch `60 hasoccurred,4

butbefor two-thirds of a revolution has occurred,z.there;; by resulting in double line feed.

126 slidably carried on the bail 62 for vertical reciprocation relative thereto. Lever 122 is also provided with a projection 127 (comparable to projection 102) terminating in a cam surface 128. Cooperably related to the cam surface 128 is a deflected end 129 of a depending arm 131 pivotally connected to arm 132 of a bell crank lever 133 pivotally carried on a stud 134. The upwardly extending arm 135 of bell crank 133 extends through and cooperates with a two-position detent bracket 136 formed in the side frame 105.

In the position shown in Fig. 6, whereat the arm 135 is in the No. 1 position of bracket 136, the mechanism is in the position to produce single line feed, because the member 122 is biased rightwardly to bring the end of arm 124 into the slot 125 of stripper 126, whereby stripper 126 is operable independently of bail 62, as previously described, to disengage the line feed function pawl 46 from the line feed selector lever 21 before the clutch 60 has made one-third of a revolution, whereby single line feed is obtained. Then, when the lever 133 is rotated to bring the arm 135 into the No. 2 position in bracket 136, the arm 131 will be depressed, whereupon the end 129 thereof will be effective upon surface 128 to cam the member 122 leftwardly to remove the end of extension 124 from the slot 125 so that lever arm 124 is no longer effective, upon rotation of disc 90 of clutch 60, to raise the auxiliary stripper 126, thereby obtaining double line feed as previously described in connection with the principal embodiment of the invention.

It is understood that the above-described arrangements are merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Other arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a telegraph printer, selector mechanism comprising a plurality of permutation bars arranged in superposed horizontal planes, a plurality of function bars slidably mounted for movement toward and away from said permutation bars, a secondary member associated with each function bar and disposed thereabove, each secondary member provided with an engaging portion adapted to be interengageable with an engaging portion on its associated function bar, means to effect cooperative interengagement between said engaging portions, whereby said secondary member is actuated positively, periodically operated stripper means effective to disengage said secondary member from its associated function bar, an auxiliary stripper means operably associated with said periodically operated stripper means, actuating means for intermittently operating said auxiliary stripper means, cam actuated means for invariably operating cyclically said actuating means, and means for rendering said actuating means selectively effective or ineffective upon said auxiilary stripper means to render said auxiliary stripper means effective independently of said periodically operated stripper means to disengage predetermined ones of said secondary members.

2. In a telegraph printer, selector mechanism comprising a plurality of permutation bars arranged in superposed horizontal planes, a plurality of function bars slidably mounted for movement toward and away from said permutation bars, a secondary member associated with each function bar and disposed thereabove, each secondary member provided with an engaging portion adapted to be interengageable with an engaging portion on its associated function bar, means to effect cooperative interengagement between said engaging portions, whereby said secondary member is actuated positively, periodically operated stripper means effective to disengage said secondary member from its associated function bar, an auxiliary stripper means operably associated with said periodically operated stripper means, a periodically operated power means, actuating means normally operated by said power means, swingable means carried by said actuating means for intermittently operating said auxiliary stripper means, and means for rendering said swingable means selectively effective or ineffective upon said auxiliary stripper means to render said auxiliary stripper means effective to disengage predetermined ones of said secondary members.

3. In a telegraph printer, selector mechanism comprising a plurality of permutation bars arranged in superposed horizontal planes, a plurality of function bars slidably mounted for movement toward and away from said permutation bars, a secondary member associated with each function bar and disposed thereabove, each secondary member provided with an engaging portion adapted to be interengageable with an engaging portion on its associated function bar, means to effect cooperative interengagement between said engaging portions, whereby said secondary member is actuated positively, periodically operated stripper means effective to disengage said secondary member from its associated function bar, an auxiliary stripper means operably associated with said periodically operated stripper means, a periodically operated power means, slidable means normally operated by said power means, and means for rendering said slidable means selectively effective or ineffective upon said auxiliary stripper means to render said auxiliary stripper means effective to disengage predetermined ones of said secondary members.

4. In a telegraph printer, selector mechanism comprising a plurality of permutation bars arranged in superposed horizontal planes, a plurality of function bars slidably mounted for movement toward and away from said permutation bars, a secondary member associated with each function bar and disposed thereabove, each secondary member provided with an engaging portion adapted to be interengageable with an engaging portion on its associated function bar, means to effect cooperative interengagement between said engaging portions, whereby said secondary member is actuated positively, periodically operated stripper means effective to disengage said secondary member from its associated function bar, an auxiliary stripper means operably associated with said periodically operated stripper means, actuating means for intermittently operating said auxiliary stripper means, and means for shifting said actuating means into operative engagement with said auxiliary stripper means to render said auxiliary stripper means operative independently of said periodically operated stripper means to disengage predetermined ones of said secondary members.

No references cited. 

